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Why buy an N/A over a TT?


Guest ims3ola
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Guest ims3ola

Hi guys. I've wanted a supra ever since i passed my test and i've decided now is the time to get one.

 

Before i found this forum, the plan was to get a NA. Reasons for this were:

 

1) Cheaper purchase cost

2) Cheaper running costs

3) TT too much for london driving

 

However, having read posts on this forum and had a look on autotrader it seems:

 

1) NA's aren't that much cheaper to buy. Ideally i'm after a facelift car and I cant find one for less than £8.5k

 

2) Insurance, MPG, and service costs aren't that much different

 

So i'm thinking i may as well go for a TT and not use all it's performance.

Am i missing something here? Could the NA boys let me know what made them choose it over the TT?

 

Cheers

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You will get a NA a lot cheaper than a TT, I think most people will agree, a low pricedTT would probably be a dog.

I chose a NA, even though I had a budget of 10K, on the basis that a turbo has a finite life-span, after that it will go pop and cost quite a bit to repair/replace. I waited for a NA that I wanted and did not jump for the first one I saw.

The NA makes a good base car, at the end of the day it still is a Supra.

 

I am modding mine, slowly but surely. Did not want to spend 10K then mod away, at least the way I did it I can have a good base car and the money to mod it how I wish. NA-T is on the horizon!

 

Think about it NA-T is a pretty rare thing on this side of the pond, very popular mod in the US!

 

£3-4K and you could have a tailor made Turbo kit, pushing out more BHP than a stock, mildly BPU'd TT!

So to summarise, £5K for a tidy NA, then the Turbo kit, with warranty and no miles and off you go!

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:yeahthat:

 

I was in exactly the same position, my thoughts were identical. You are correct in what you say, there is not a lot of difference, petrol economy is slightly less friendly in a TT, but it depends on how you drive, the service intervals are more regular on a TT obviously, but as long as you keep her in good shape, you will be fine and wont have any problems, as long as you get a good egg. In hindsight I kinda guess I'd bought a TT, insurance was actually £20 cheaper! Go figure??

 

However, dont get me wrong, I love my NA to bits! I dont think I could let her go now, I have put too much love, sweat and tears into her. Plus i'll have more fun converting her to a NA-T in about 12 months. :D

 

It all depends how much you need those Turbo's?

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Running cost wise the TT will be a hell of a lot more, I don't care what people say on here but you have servicing every 3k and you won't stop modding for extra power which isn't totally necessary for UK roads, the n/a will probably be more fun as you can actually really put your foot down through the bends without having to worry about any tubbies coming on.

 

If I was you I'd go facelift N/A as you stated, insurance may be a tad more but you'll be getting a much newer supra and that's a very nice thing indeed! as it saves you from later upgrading to facelift lights newer dash and paint etc!

 

There's a nice quicksilver one on autotrader now, probably not too far from you and it only has 50k on a 97 plate, and it's a MANUAL, if your getting an sz get a manual!!

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dont need to worry for turbo's blowing = £££cha ching. slightly more MPG. insurance is about the same for both TT and N/A. although i notice people seem to be finding cheaper insurance with the N/A recently. but generally people here will tell you sometimes TT is cheaper. wasnt the case for me at the time.

you can get a facelift N/A or a preface TT for 8.5. you just weigh the pro and con. but facelift is rare as they have stopped importing them due to ESVA laws blah blah

 

had my n/a supe for just over a year and half NOT a single problem. just sold it recently though.

 

RUSH (member here) is selling a beautiful N/A auto facelift. message him. in london too ;) think he is still in dubai, otherwise contact how_supra or terribleturner. they are looking after the car for him.

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It depends on what floats your boat at the end of the day, the N/A is still a Supra and has all the looks etc so it's still an atractive purchase. The TT is a whole lot of car for the money though, especially since BPU level is so easy to reach! But if performance is not your main priority then an N/A makes a lot of sense.

 

I think I'd rather have a genuine TT than an NA-T even though it's an interesting project to do, think the TT should be easier to sell as it's a more known quantity in the marketplace.

 

I find this odd though:

 

I chose a NA, even though I had a budget of 10K, on the basis that a turbo has a finite life-span, after that it will go pop and cost quite a bit to repair/replace

 

...

 

NA-T is on the horizon!

 

So you don't want a TT because turbos don't last forever (even though TT's are very reliable until you push them too far!), but you wan't to make an NA-T

instead - with those unreliable nasty turbo things plus lots of non oem fun which is rather unlikely to add to the overall reliability is it lol...

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I'd always planned to get an NA because my journey every day simply does not warrant a TT.

 

... but then I came to actually buy one and after driving a TT I couldn't face buying an NA. There's just too much fun to be had when you get the turbos going.

 

I will say thought that the little b_gger is expensive to run. Especially when you consider that my Supra is just a station car. 5 miles in the morning, 5 in the evening.....

 

So my advice is ... decide before to try. Because once you drive a TT you'll talk yourself into getting one.

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9k miles.

 

People only change their oil so it runs cleaner, and if they've modded it beyond the standard power levels then its probably wise to do so.

 

Insurance wise the NA is as much if not more than TTs, I'd be interested to see someone go get a quote cheaper for an NA import than for a UK spec turbo.

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I can only offer some figures I used when I purchased my NA.

 

Insurance - NA £780.

Insurance - TT £1800.

 

Very Good Condition, Low Miles NA £5000

Very Good Condition, Low Miles TT £9000

 

I have been bitten by a bad car before never again. Got me a great NA. Love it, shame about the alloys though.

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2 reasons as to why i own a n/a.

 

Main being its my first RWD car and I only bought it just over 2 months ago. Im struggling in the weather without no turbos so I dread to think how I would of got on with a TT.

 

Im only 20 and have plenty of years in front of me to upgrade if I wish. I am very satisfied with how the car performs and think for a 20 yr old it is a luxury to drive such a car so young.

 

If I were to upgrade in acouple of years im 90% certain it would be for a Supra TT. If I do, I would revert mine back to stock and can still swap the bits over to my new model.

 

Safe driving everyone,

Gaz

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Well i've owned my P-97 Supra N/A for about 2 years now and LOVE it to bits.

Paid £10k then which was not bad for a face-lift model. Since then I've spent another £3k+ on sound/alarm/exhuast/wheels. Looks and sounds the nuts now.

 

When I first got it I had never driven a rear wheel drive before and nearly came a cropper the first day I got it (oooohhhhhhh! how you learn so quick :twak: )

 

For speed, it's quick, but a few months ago I had a clio up my arse which I could not get rid of (so could of done with some turbos then) but then again there will always be someone quicker then you on the road even if you have turbos. Even so, N/A's don't hang around :)

With all the speed cameras going up everywhere it's getting harder to do top end in a N/A let alone a TT. Trust me some times you do hanker for a TT but then again your nearer to getting some points on the licence :D

 

As for insurance, well I must say I do wonder how some of these guys of early 20's are getting insurance so cheap?

I'm now 29 / no points / full no claims, drivin over 10years / admin worker and I pay £670 which is the cheapest I can get it (2 years ago was paying over £800).

 

In the short of it all N/A or TT you can't go wrong.

 

IT'S UP TO YOU MATE :tempted:

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